Recording apparatus, recording method, recording program, and integrated circuit

ABSTRACT

It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus which reduces the compression distortion generated on the menu screen included in menu data when recording compression-coded menu data, and generates the compression-coded menu data including a menu screen with a good image quality. A recording and reproducing apparatus ( 100 ) which performs compression-coding on an image in which an image element is arranged on a background image, and records data corresponding to the compression-coded image on a recording medium, the recording and reproducing apparatus ( 100 ) including an image generating unit ( 111 ) which generates menu data indicating the image in which the image element is arranged on the background image such that at least a part of an outer boundary of the image element is consistent with a boundary of one of a macroblock and an orthogonal transform block used for the compression-coding, a compression-multiplexing unit ( 105 ) which compression-codes the menu data generated by the menu generating unit, and a record-processing unit ( 106 ) which records the menu data compression-coded by the compression-multiplexing unit ( 105 ) on the recording medium ( 10 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a recording apparatus which recordscontents data including audio and image on a recording medium.

BACKGROUND ART

There are conventional apparatuses which record, when reproducingrecorded contents data, data including a menu screen for listing thecontents data (hereinafter referred to as “menu data”) in a recordableDigital Versatile Disc (DVD) (see Patent Reference 1, for example).

A possible method for recording the menu data includes generating imagedata including the menu screen itself in which a predetermined standardimage or the thumbnails of the screens included in the contents arearranged on a background image (hereinafter referred to as the “menuscreen data”), and recording the menu screen data as compression-codeddata of image (hereinafter referred to as “coded menu data”).

Here, the term menu data refers to both the menu screen data and thecoded menu data. More specifically, the menu screen data is menu databefore compression-coding, and the coded menu data is thecompression-coded menu data.

FIG. 1 shows an example of menu screen included in the conventional menudata recorded on the recording medium using the above-described method.

On the menu screen shown in FIG. 1, a thumbnail 601, a thumbnail 602, athumbnail 603, a thumbnail 604, a thumbnail 605, and a thumbnail 606 arearranged on a background image 600.

Here, the term “thumbnail” refers to a part of image included in thecontents recorded on the recording medium. More specifically, thethumbnail includes one screen taken out among the screens included inthe contents and reduced in size.

On the menu screen shown in FIG. 1, standard images including titlecharacters such as “Title 1”, each corresponding to each of thethumbnails, characters such as “RAM” which display record information,characters such as “(1/3)” which display information related to thepages on the menu screen, characters and graphics such as “Page 2” andan arrow which guide screen transition when the menu screen is composedof multiple screens are arranged on the background image 600.

Coding the menu screen data including the menu screens by imagecompression-coding generates the coded menu data. In general, the imagecompression-coding is performed by a coding method using Discrete CosineTransform (DCT), such as JPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and H.264.

Patent Reference 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application PublicationNo. 2004-318923 DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Problems that Invention is toSolve

When the disc menu screen is compression-coded, there is a problem thatthe image quality deteriorates compared to the case where the naturalimage is compressed, since the compression is performed on the image inwhich thumbnails are arranged on the background image that has nocorrelation with the thumbnails.

As described above, the thumbnail is, for example, generated based on apiece of images included in the respective contents. Accordingly, thereis no correlation between the thumbnail images in general. Thus, thereis no correlation among the thumbnails 601 to 606 shown in FIG. 1.

Furthermore, when arranging the thumbnails on the background image asthe menu screen, an image generated as a graphic or aseparately-prepared still picture is used for the background image ingeneral, and thus there is no correlation between the background imageand each of the thumbnails. Therefore, there is no correlation among thebackground image 600 and the thumbnails 601 to 606 shown in FIG. 1.

Meanwhile, the image compression-coding compresses the image data usingthe correlation between the pixels of the images to be compressed. Forthis reason, the menu screen shown in FIG. 1 is more likely to generatecompression distortions upon compression, and deterioration in imagequality is more likely to occur compared to the natural image that hasrelatively high correlation within the whole screen.

More particularly, in the image compression-coding, the screen isdivided into blocks and processing is performed per block in general.Here, as shown in the block 610 shown in FIG. 1, when one block includesboth the background image 600 and the thumbnail 601, the compressiondistortion is apparent especially along the outer boundary of thethumbnail 601, since there is no correlation therebetween.

The present invention has been conceived in view of the problems, and itis an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatuswhich reduces the compression distortion generated on the menu screenincluded in menu data when recording the compression-coded menu data,and generates compression-coded menu data including a menu screen with agood image quality.

Means to Solve the Problems

In order to achieve the above object, the recording apparatus accordingto the present invention is a recording apparatus which performscompression-coding on an image in which an image element is arranged ona background image, and records data corresponding to thecompression-coded image on a recording medium, the recording apparatusincluding: a menu generating unit which generates menu data indicatingthe image on which the image element is arranged on the background imagesuch that at least a part of an outer boundary of the image element isconsistent with a boundary of one of a macroblock and an orthogonaltransform block used for the compression-coding; an image compressionunit which compression-codes the menu data generated by the menugenerating unit; and a recording unit which records the menu datacompression-coded by the image compression unit on the recording medium.

As described above, the image element arranged on the image shown by themenu data is arranged so that at least a part of the outer boundary isconsistent with the boundary of the macroblock or the orthogonaltransform block used for compression-coding. With this, the outerboundary of the image element will not be included within the macroblockor the orthogonal transform block. Accordingly, it is possible toprevent the pixels of the image element having low correlation with thebackground image and the pixels of the background image from being mixedin the same macroblock or the orthogonal transform block. Thus, it ispossible to reduce the compression distortion generated in the block,and obtain good image quality.

It is preferable that the recording apparatus further includes: an imageselection unit which selects an image included in image data; and athumbnail creation unit which creates a thumbnail of the image selectedby the image selection unit, in which the menu generating unit generatesthe menu data indicating an image in which the thumbnail is arranged onthe background image such that at least a part of a straight-linesection included in an outer periphery of the thumbnail created by thethumbnail creation unit is consistent with the boundary of one of themacroblock and the orthogonal transform block used for thecompression-coding.

As described above, when the image element is a thumbnail, at least apart of the outer boundary of the thumbnail is arranged to be consistentwith the boundary of the macroblock or the orthogonal transform blockused for compression coding. With this, the outer boundary of thethumbnail will not be included in the macroblock or the orthogonaltransform block. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the pixels ofthe thumbnail having low correlation with the background image, and thepixels of the background image from being mixed in the same macroblockor the same orthogonal transform block. Thus, it is possible to reducethe compression distortion generated in such a block, and obtain goodimage quality.

It is also preferable that the thumbnail creation unit creates thethumbnail such that a length of each side of the image selected by theimage selection unit is an integral multiple of a length of each side ofone of the macroblock and the orthogonal transform block used for thecompression coding.

As described above, the length of each side of the thumbnail is theintegral multiple of the length of the sides included in the macroblockor the orthogonal transform block. When such a thumbnail is arrangedsuch that at least a part of the outer boundary of the thumbnail isconsistent with the boundary of the macroblock or the orthogonaltransform block used for compression-coding, it is possible to increasethe outer boundary of the thumbnail being consistent with the boundaryof the macroblock or the orthogonal transform block compared to the casewhere the length of each of the sides is not an integral multiple. Moreparticularly, when the thumbnail is a rectangle, all of the sidescomposing the outer boundary of the thumbnail are consistent with theboundary of the macroblock or the orthogonal transform block.Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the pixels of the thumbnailhaving low correlation with the background image, and the pixels of thebackground image from being mixed in the same macroblock or the sameorthogonal transform block. Thus, it is possible to reduce thecompression distortion generated in the block, and obtain good imagequality.

It is also preferable that the menu generating unit transmits at leastone of information indicating a location, on the background image, ofthe thumbnail arranged on the background image and informationindicating a size of the thumbnail.

As described above, the menu generating unit transmits the location andthe size of the arranged thumbnail to the image compression unit. Withthis, the image compression unit can specify the location of thethumbnail in the menu screen indicated by the menu data based on thelocation and the size of the thumbnail. Thus, it is possible to performcompression-coding on the background image and the thumbnail underdifferent conditions. The background image is a simple image and thethumbnail is a natural image. Changing compression-coding conditions forthe background image and natural image having different image property,allows effective compression-coding of the image.

It is also preferable that the image compression unit further determinesan outer boundary of the thumbnail based on at least one of theinformation indicating the location, on the background image, of thethumbnail transmitted by the menu generating unit and the informationindicating the size of the thumbnail, and not to perform filtering onthe outer boundary of the determined thumbnail.

As described above, the image compression unit does not filter the outerperiphery that has been determined as the outer periphery of thethumbnail based on the location and the size of the thumbnail. Filteringreduces the compression distortion on the boundary of the block. Notperforming the filtering on the outer periphery of the thumbnail makesthe boundary of the thumbnail on the background image clearer.

It is also preferable that the menu generating unit selects, from amonga group of standard images held in advance, a standard image to bearranged on the background image, and to generate the menu dataindicating the image in which the selected standard image is arranged onthe background image such that at least a part of straight-line sectionincluded in the outer boundary of the standard image is consistent withthe boundary of one of the macroblock used for the compression-codingand the orthogonal transform block.

As described above, when the image element is a standard image, at leasta part of the outer boundary of the standard image is arranged to beconsistent with the boundary of the macroblock and the boundary of theorthogonal transform block used for the compression coding. With this,the outer boundary of the standard image is not included in themacroblock or the orthogonal transform block. Accordingly, it ispossible to prevent the pixels of the standard image having lowcorrelation with the background image, and the pixels of the backgroundimage from being mixed in the same macroblock or the same orthogonaltransform block. Thus, it is possible to reduce the compressiondistortion generated in the block, and obtain good image quality.

It is also preferable that the menu generating unit generates thestandard image such that at least a length of a part of straight-linesection in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction included inthe outer boundary of the selected standard image is an integralmultiple of a length of each side of a block used for the compressioncoding, and generates the menu data indicating the image in which theselected standard image is arranged on the background image such that atleast a part of the straight-line section included in the outer boundaryof the generated standard image is consistent with the boundary of oneof the macroblock and the orthogonal transform block used for thecompression-coding.

As described above, the length of the straight-line section included inthe outer boundary of the standard image is the integral multiple of thelength of each side included in the macroblock or the orthogonaltransform block. When the standard image is arranged such that at leastthe part of the outer boundary is consistent with the boundary of themacroblock and the orthogonal transform block used for thecompression-coding, it is possible to increase the length of the outerboundary of the standard image being consistent with the boundary of themacroblock or the orthogonal transform block compared to the case wherethe length of each side is not an integral multiple. More specifically,when the standard image is a rectangle, all of the sides composing thethumbnail are consistent with the boundary of the macroblock or theorthogonal transform block. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce apossibility that the pixels of the standard image having low correlationwith the background image, and the pixels of the background image beingmixed in the same macroblock or the same orthogonal transform block.Thus, it is possible to reduce the compression distortion generated inthe block, and obtain good image quality.

It is also preferable that the menu generating unit transmitsinformation indicating a location, on the background image, of thestandard image arranged on the background image and informationindicating a size of the standard image to the image compression unit.

Thus, the menu generating unit transmits the location and the size ofthe arranged standard image to the image compression unit. With this,the image compression unit can specify the location of the standardimage in the menu screen indicated by the menu data based on thelocation and the size of the standard image. Thus, it is possible tocompression-codes the background image and the standard image underdifferent conditions, which allows effective compression-coding ofimage.

It is also preferable that the image compression unit further determinesan outer boundary of the standard image based on one of the informationindicating the location, on the background image, of the standard imagetransmitted by the menu generating unit and the information indicatingthe size of the standard image, and not to perform filtering on theouter boundary of the determined thumbnail.

As described above, the image compression unit does not performfiltering on the outer boundary that has been determined as the outerboundary of the image element based on the location and the size of theimage element. Filtering reduces the compression distortion on theboundary of the block. Not performing the filtering on the outerperiphery of the thumbnail makes the boundary of the thumbnail on thebackground image clearer.

Furthermore, the image compression unit codes the standard image byperforming a quantization different from a quantization performed on thebackground image, the standard image being indicated by the informationindicating the location, on the background image, of the standard imagearranged on the background image and the information indicating the sizeof the standard image, the standard image being transmitted by the menugenerating unit.

As described above, the image compression unit codes the standard imageby performing the quantization different from the quantization performedon the background image. The image compression unit can specify thelocation of the image element on the menu screen indicated by the menudata based on the location and the size of the image element, and thusit is possible to perform a quantization different from the quantizationperformed on the background image, only on the standard image. Thisallows performing rougher quantization on the standard image, forexample, which enables more efficient compression-coding.

Note that the present invention may be implemented as, in addition tothe recording apparatus, a method for controlling the recordingapparatus, a program causing a computer system to execute the method,and a recording medium on which the program is recorded.

Furthermore, the present invention may also be implemented as anintegrated circuit incorporated in the recording apparatus, design dataconfiguring the integrated circuit on a program logic device, and arecording medium on which the design data is recorded thereon.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, by matching the location and thesize of the thumbnails or the standard image arranged on the menu screenwith the boundary of the macroblock or the orthogonal transform blockprevents the pixels of the thumbnail image having no correlation frombeing mixed into the macroblock and the orthogonal transform blockincluding the background image outside the respective thumbnails, andthus the compression distortion in these blocks can be reduced.Accordingly, it is possible to generate coded menu data including a menuscreen having a good image quality.

Furthermore, it is also possible to reduce compression distortion of themenu image by generating the standard image arranged on the menu screenin the same manner as the location and the size of the thumbnail aredetermined. Thus, it is possible to generate a coded menu including agood-quality menu screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an example of menu screen included in the conventional menudata recorded on a recording medium.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views showing appearance of a recordingand reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 shows a hardware configuration of the recording and reproducingapparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of process related to creationof thumbnails performed by the recording and reproducing apparatusaccording to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of process related to creationof menu screen performed by the recording and reproducing apparatusaccording to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a display example of the menu screen according to theembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a configuration of files recorded on a recording mediumaccording to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows data configuration of the menu file according to theembodiment of the present invention.

NUMERICAL REFERENCES

-   10 Recording medium-   100 Recording and reproducing apparatus-   101 Lens group-   102 Imaging unit-   103 A/D conversion unit-   104 Image signal processing unit-   105 Compression-multiplexing unit-   106 Record processing unit-   108 Drive control unit-   109 Input unit-   110 Control unit-   111 Image generating unit-   112 Display unit-   113 Image signal processing unit-   114 Demultiplex-decompression unit-   115 Reproduction processing unit-   116 Image memory-   117 Thumbnail memory-   118 Image reduction unit

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiment

The following describes an embodiment according to the present inventionwith reference to the drawing.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a recording andreproducing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. The recording andreproducing apparatus 100 is a digital video camera shown in FIG. 2, forexample. FIG. 2A is a perspective view from the imaging lens side of therecording and reproducing apparatus 100 and FIG. 2B is a perspectiveview from the ocular lens side of the recording and reproducingapparatus 100.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the recording and reproducing apparatus 100 canrecord the audio and image contents on a recording medium 10.Furthermore, the recording and reproducing apparatus 100 can reproducethe audio and image contents recorded on the recording medium 10.

FIG. 3 shows a hardware configuration of the recording and reproducingapparatus 100 according to the embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3, the recording and reproducing apparatus 100 includesa lens group 101 for imaging, an imaging unit 102, an A/D conversionunit 103, an image signal processing unit 104, acompression-multiplexing unit 105, a record processing unit 106, a drivecontrol unit 108, an input unit 109, a control unit 110, an imagegenerating unit 111, a display unit 112, an image signal processing unit113, a demultiplex-decompression unit 114, a reproduction processingunit 115, an image memory 116, a thumbnail memory 117, and an imagereduction unit 118.

The image signal processing unit 104, the compression-multiplexing unit105, the record-processing unit 106, the drive control unit 108, thecontrol unit 110, the image generating unit 111, the image signalprocessing unit 113, the demultiplex-decompression unit 114, thereproduction processing unit 115, the image memory 116, the thumbnailmemory 117, and the image reduction unit 118 are connected to oneanother via an internal bus 20, and mutually transmit and receive datavia the internal bus 20. These components can be implemented as one ormore integral circuits. Furthermore, it is possible to realize thecomponents as a function achieved by an integrated circuit whichexecutes a software program.

The lens group 101 includes optical lenses.

The imaging unit 102 is composed of imaging devices and others, andcaptures images inputted via the lens group 101. The imaging unit 102outputs the captured image to the A/D conversion unit 103 as an analogsignal.

The A/D conversion unit 103 converts the analog signal output from theimaging unit 102 into a digital signal. The imaging unit 102 outputs thedigital signal obtained by the conversion to the image signal processingunit 104.

The image signal processing unit 104 converts the digital signal outputfrom the A/D conversion unit 103 into an image signal. The image signalprocessing unit 104 outputs the image signal obtained by the conversionto the compression-multiplexing unit 105, selects a representative imagefrom the images included in the image signal at the same time, andoutputs an image signal including the selected representative image tothe image reduction unit 118.

The compression-multiplexing unit 105 compresses and multiplexes theimage signal output from the image signal processing unit 104 and theaudio signal output from a component that is not shown, in accordancewith the image compression-coding method such as the MPEG-2 and H.264.The compression-multiplexing unit 105 outputs content data generated bymultiplexing the image signal and the audio signal to therecord-processing unit 106.

The record-processing unit 106 writes the content data output from thecompression-multiplexing unit 105 into the recording medium 10.

The drive control unit 108 controls a driving apparatus which drives therecording medium 10.

The input unit 109 receives the operations by the user via the inputdevice. The input unit 109 outputs the received user operation as theoperation information to the control unit 110.

The control unit 110 controls, for performing recording process andreproduction process in the recording and reproducing apparatus 100, theimage signal processing unit 104, the compression-multiplexing unit 105,the record-processing unit 106, the drive control unit 108, the imagegenerating unit 111, the image signal processing unit 113, thedemultiplex-decompression unit 114, and the reproduction processing unit115.

The image generating unit 111 generates menu screen data containing amenu screen which lists the contents recorded on the recording medium 10in coordination with the image signal processing unit 104, the imagememory 116, the thumbnail memory 117, and the image reduction unit 118.Details of the operation to generate the menu screen data is to bedescribed later. The image generating unit 111 outputs the generatedmenu screen data to the image memory 116 and the image signal processingunit 113.

The image memory 116 is a memory which holds the menu screen datagenerated by the image generating unit 111.

The thumbnail memory 117 is a memory which holds the data including thethumbnails (hereinafter referred to as “thumbnail data”).

The image reduction unit 118 obtains an image signal of representativeimage of the contents from image signal processing unit 104, createsthumbnail data of the representative image indicated by the obtainedimage signal, and stores the thumbnail data in the thumbnail memory 117.

The display unit 112 displays the image signal output from the imagesignal processing unit 113 on a monitor, for example.

The image signal processing unit 113 converts decompressed contentsoutput from the demultiplex-decompression unit 114 into an image signal.The image signal processing unit 113 outputs the image signal generatedby the conversion to the display unit 112. The image signal processingunit 113 multiplexes the menu image generated by the image generatingunit 111 to the display unit 112 and outputs the multiplexed menu imageor the menu image as it is, as an image signal as necessary.

The demultiplex-decompression unit 114 demultiplexes and decompressesthe contents output from the reproduction processing unit 115 inaccordance with the coding method used by the compression-multiplexingunit 105, such as MPEG-2 and H.264. The demultiplex-decompression unit114 outputs the contents generated by the decompression to the imagesignal processing unit 113.

The reproduction processing unit 115 reads the contents to be reproducedfrom the recording medium 10. The reproduction processing unit 115outputs the read contents to the demultiplex-decompression unit 114.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of process related to creationof thumbnails performed by the recording and reproducing apparatus 100according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The image reduction unit 118 obtains the image signal of therepresentative image of the content from the image signal processingunit 104 (S101).

The image reduction unit 118 creates thumbnail data containing athumbnail which is the representative image indicated by the obtainedimage signal reduced to a size in an integral multiple of apredetermined block size (S102). Here, the predetermined block sizerefers to, for example, a size of macroblock or a size of an orthogonaltransformation block.

The image reduction unit 118 stores the created thumbnail data in thethumbnail memory 117 (S103), and terminates the process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of process related to creationof menu screen performed by the recording and reproducing apparatus 100according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The image generating unit 111 obtains menu creation instruction that theuser inputs to the input unit 109 via the control unit 110 (S201).

The image generating unit 111 obtains the thumbnail data held by thethumbnail memory 117 (S202).

When the location of each pixel is represented on the coordinates whichhave a corner on the top left of the background image as the originalpoint and increase to the right in the horizontal direction and to thebottom in the vertical direction per pixel, the image generating unit111 generates menu screen data in which thumbnails are arranged onlocations where the horizontal distance from the original point of thepixel of the thumbnail at the top left corner is a multiple of thehorizontal size of a predetermined block, and where the verticaldistance from the original point of the pixel of the thumbnail at thetop left corner is a multiple of the horizontal size of a predeterminedblock (hereinafter referred to as “integral location”) (S203).

The predetermined block includes, for example, a macroblock and anorthogonal transform block used for image compression-coding. Theprocess is an example of a process for generating the menu datacontaining a screen in which the straight-line sections of thethumbnails are arranged on the background image being consistent withthe boundary of the macroblock or the orthogonal transform block usedfor image compression-coding.

The image generating unit 111 selects a standard image to be arranged onthe menu screen out of a group of standard images held therein, andgenerates the menu screen data where the thumbnails are arranged on theintegral location of the menu screen indicated in the menu screen datagenerated in the thumbnail obtaining process (S202) (S203).

The predetermined block includes, for example, a macro block and anorthogonal transform block used for image compression-coding. Theprocess is an example of a process for selecting a standard image to bearranged on the background image out of a group of standard images heldtherein in advance, and for generating the menu data containing a screenin which the straight-line sections of the standard image are arrangedon the background image being consistent with the boundary of themacroblock or the orthogonal transform block used for imagecompression-coding.

The image generating unit 111 stores the menu screen data indicating themenu screen in which the thumbnails and the standard images are arrangedin the image memory 116 (S205).

The image generating unit 111 transmits the information indicating thelocations and the sizes of the thumbnails and the standard images to thecompression-multiplexing unit 105 (S206).

The compression-multiplexing unit 111 receives the informationindicating the locations and the sizes of the thumbnails and thestandard images from the image generating unit 111 (S207).

The compression-multiplexing unit 105 obtains the menu screen data fromthe image memory 116, refers to the information showing the locationsand the sizes of the thumbnails and the standard images, and generatescoded menu data which is compression-coded menu screen data withoutperforming filtering such as deblocking filter on the outer boundariesof the thumbnails and the standard images. The compression-multiplexingunit 105 simultaneously generates the compression-multiplexed contentsdata by compression-multiplexing other image data and audio data on thecoded menu data at the same time (S208).

Filtering such as the deblocking filter reduces compression distortionon the boundary of the block. Meanwhile, not filtering only the outerboundary of the thumbnails and the standard image makes the boundariesof the thumbnails and the background image to be clear.

The record-processing unit 106 obtains the compression-multiplexedcontents data including the coded menu data from thecompression-multiplexing unit 105, and records the obtainedcompression-multiplexed contents data on the recording medium 10 (S209).

As described above, the recording and reproducing apparatus 100 of theembodiment arranges the thumbnails on the integral locations of thebackground image. The thumbnails are generally rectangles, and thus atlease two sides of the thumbnails can be consistent with to the boundaryof the predetermined block. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the size ofthe thumbnail created by the image reduction unit 118 is an integralmultiple of the predetermined block size. Arranging the thumbnails atthe integral locations of the background image allows all of the foursides of the thumbnail being consistent with the boundary of thepredetermined block.

As described above, by having the sides of the thumbnail consistent withthe boundary of the predetermined block used for compression-codingeliminates the compression distortion at the boundary.

Note that the thumbnails are described as images obtained by reducingthe screens contained in the contents; however, the thumbnails may alsobe obtained in another way. For example, when the screen included in thecontents does not satisfy a predetermined number of pixels determined asthe size of a thumbnail to be arranged on the menu screen, the thumbnailmay be an image obtained by enlarging the screen.

FIG. 6 is an example of a menu image generated by the image generatingunit 111. The menu image is composed of the background image 300, thethumbnails 301 to 306, and the standard images 310 to 313.

A top left corner 321 of the thumbnail 301 shown in FIG. 6 is arrangedon the first integral location on the left and the third integrallocation from the top on the macroblocks shown as small rectangles inFIG. 6. Furthermore, the horizontal length of the thumbnail 301 is aslong as six macroblocks, while the vertical length of the thumbnail 301is as long as three macroblocks. Other thumbnails 302 to 306 have thesame size, and the vertices of the respective thumbnails 302 to 306 arearranged on the integral locations.

Thus, all of the four sides of thumbnails match the boundaries of themacroblocks.

In addition, a top left corner 322 of the standard image 310 is alsoarranged on the integral location. Top left corners of other standardimages 311 to 313 are also arranged on the integral locations.

With this, at least a part of the standard image is consistent with theboundary of a macroblock when the standard image includes a straightline in the horizontal direction or in the vertical direction startingfrom the top left corner of the standard image.

The menu data containing the menu screen shown in FIG. 6 is generatedthrough the processes described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

Note that it is necessary to hold the thumbnail until the menu screendata is started to be generated, more specifically, until the userinstructs the recording and reproducing apparatus 100 to performfinalizing process. However, this can be achieved by reading thethumbnails that have been stored in the thumbnail memory 117 once by therecord-processing unit 106 and recording the thumbnail on the recordingmedium 10 as a thumbnail file. In this case, when performing thefinalizing process, the reproduction processing unit 115 reads thethumbnail file from the recording medium 10. The thumbnail that has beenread is stored on the thumbnail memory 117, and the image generatingunit 111 generates the menu screen data.

Alternatively, instead of the image signal processing unit 104 obtainingthe representative image upon shooting, a part of the contents includedin the recording medium 10 may be sequentially reproduced, and the imagesignal processing unit 113 may obtain the representative image and mayoutput the representative image to the image reduction unit 118, whenperforming the finalizing process. With this method, it is not necessaryto record the thumbnail file on the recording medium 10; however, ittakes longer to perform the finalizing process.

When the user sends an instruction for performing the finalizing processon the recording medium 10 via the input unit 109, the image generatingunit 111 sequentially reads the thumbnails 301 to 306 from the thumbnailmemory 117, generates the menu image data including the menu image shownin FIG. 6 by arranging the background image 300 generated by the imagegenerating unit 111 and the standard images 310 to 313 on the backgroundimage 300, and stores the menu image data on the image memory 116. Notethat, it is possible to record all of or a part of the standard images310 to 313 on the recording medium 10 as data separate from the menuimage as necessary. The detail of the method will be described later.

FIG. 7 shows a configuration of files stored in the recording medium 10according to this embodiment. FIG. 7 shows an example where aninformation file 11 (info), a menu file 12 (menu), a playlist folder(PLAYLIST), a clip information folder (CLIPINF), and a stream folder(STREAM) are stored under a contents folder (CONTENTS).

In the information file 11 (info), management information of the wholedirectory is recorded. In the menu file 12 (menu), information forconfiguring the menu and others is included.

Furthermore, under the playlist folder (PLAYLIST), playlist files, forexample, “01001.plst” and “02002.plst” are stored. Each of the playlistfiles includes information regarding reproduction order or reproductiontime of the contents associated with clip information file which will bedescribed later.

FIG. 7 shows, for example, the playlist file 13 (01000.clpi) includesinformation indicating that the contents associated with “01000.clpi”which will be described later is reproduced first at “0:00:00 to0:15:30”.

Furthermore, under the clip information folder (CLIPINF), clipinformation files such as “01000.clpi” and “02000.clpi” are stored. Eachof the clip information files includes time table which associates thetime information and the location of the image data, and achievespartial reproduction and trick-play.

FIG. 7 shows that “01000.m2ts” which will be described later isassociated with the clip information file 14 (01000.clpi).

Furthermore, stream files “01000.m2ts” and “02000.m2ts” are stored underthe stream folder (STREAM). Each stream file includes an AV data file.

The control unit 110 uses three-types of files, namely the playlistfiles, the clip information files, and the stream files upon controllingthe reproduction. Clip information file to be reproduced and thereproduction time are recorded on the playlist file. When the playlistfile is reproduced, the designated clip information file is referred to,and the stream file specified by the information such as the time tableis reproduced.

For example, the playlist file 13 (01001.plst) includes informationindicating the clip file “01000.clpi” which is the first clip, and theclip file “02000.clpi” which is the second clip are reproduced in thatorder. Here, with respect to the first clip, the stream file“01000.m2ts” associated with the clip information file “01000.clpi” isreproduced. With respect to the second clip, the stream file“02000.m2ts” associated with the clip information file “02000.clpi” isreproduced.

FIG. 8 shows data configuration of the menu file according to thisembodiment.

As shown in FIG. 8, the menu file 12 a is a menu file in which thecontents stored in the recording medium 10 as the menu images listed inplural pages (for example, see FIG. 6) is described. Here, the menu file12 a shown in FIG. 8 includes “C&G”, which is the data associated witheach playlist file such as “C&G #1”, “C&G #2”, “C&G #3”, and “C&G #4”from the top. Subsequently, the menu file 12 a includes “Still Picture”,for example, “Still Picture #1”, “Still Picture #2”, “Still Picture #3”,and “Still Picture #4”, each of which is associated with each “C&G”.

“C&G” is data configured of the control information and the standardimage information.

“Still picture” is coded data of the menu image. Furthermore, withrespect to some standard images, for example, a frame or a button, acommand for controlling the display of the menu is associated.

For example, the recording and reproducing apparatus 100 displays themenu image on the first page including the thumbnail image of the clipdescribed in the playlist file (01001.plst) based on the “C&G #1”.Furthermore, when an operation for displaying the menu on the next pageis received from the user while the menu on the first page is displayed,the recording and reproducing apparatus 100 performs the same process onthe “C&G #2” subsequent to the “C&G #1”. Afterwards, the recording andreproducing apparatus 100 displays the menu image on the second pageincluding the thumbnail image of the clip described in the playlist file(02002.plst). Similarly, the same process is performed on the “C&G #3”and “C&G #4”.

After the reproduction according to the menu file 12 a, the control unit110 first displays a menu screen as shown in FIG. 6 using “Still Picture#1” based on “C&G #1”. Put differently, the menu image on which sixthumbnail images including “opening ceremony” and “boll toss” and othersare arranged on the background image is compression-coded as “StillPicture #1”. The standard image information which the user can changethe color and shape thereof (for example, the arrow 313 indicating page2 and a frame showing whether not the selection of thumbnail images ispossible) is recorded on “C&G” together with the control information.The control unit 110 controls the demultiplex-decompression unit 114 toreproduce the still picture #1, controls the image generating unit 111and the image signal processing unit 113 to generate a necessarystandard image based on C&G #1, multiplexes the standard image on thestill picture #1, and outputs the obtained image to the display unit 112as the menu screen.

Subsequently, when the user performs reproduction operation by selectingthe thumbnail image that he/she wants to reproduce from the menu, thecontrol unit 110 refers to a playlist file associated with the thumbnailimage, and reproduces the stream file.

In this embodiment, when the image generating unit 111 generates themenu image shown in FIG. 6, the arrangement and the sizes of thebackground image 300, the thumbnails 301 to 306, and the standard images310 to 313 are limited so as to obtain good image quality uponsubsequent compression-coding by the compression-multiplexing unit 105.

More specifically, when the image generating unit 111 arranges thethumbnail 301 on the background image 300, the thumbnail is arranged sothat the top left corner of the thumbnail 301 is arranged on theintegral location, as described above.

For example, when compression-coding is performed by thecompression-multiplexing unit 105 in accordance with MPEG-2, MPEG-4, orH.264, the image generating unit 111 arranges the thumbnail 301 on thebackground image 300 so that the pixel 321 on the top left corner of thethumbnail 301 is on an integral location apart from multiples of 16pixels from the original point, which is the size of the macroblock bothin the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

With this, when the compression-multiplexing unit 105 codes the menuimage in FIG. 6, the boundary on top left of the thumbnail 301 isconsistent with the boundary of the macroblock, after compression isperformed per macroblock in the horizontal direction and the verticaldirection from the original point 320. Thus, on the top side and theleft side of the thumbnail 301, it is possible to avoid pixels includedin the background image 300 and pixels included in the thumbnail 301from being mixed in the same macroblock. Therefore, it is possible toprevent generation of a macroblock with large compression distortion dueto the mixed pixels. The same applies to other thumbnails 302 to 306.

Furthermore, when the image reduction unit 118 reduces therepresentative image to generate a thumbnail and stores the thumbnail inthe thumbnail memory 117, the thumbnail is generated with the size ofmultiple of the macroblock or the orthogonal transform block in theimage compression unit both horizontally and vertically.

For example, when performing compression-coding in accordance withMPEG-2, MPEG-4 or H.264 by the compression-multiplexing unit 105, theimage reduction unit 118 creates the thumbnail 301 in such a manner thatthe size of the thumbnail is to be a multiple of 16 pixels which is thesize of macroblock both in the horizontal direction and the verticaldirection.

With this, when the compression-multiplexing unit 105 codes the menuimage in FIG. 6, the boundary on top left of and the boundary at thebottom side of the thumbnail 301 is consistent with the boundary of themacroblock, after compression is performed per macroblock in thehorizontal direction and the vertical direction from the original point320. Thus, on the right side and the bottom side of the thumbnail 301,it is possible to avoid pixels included in the background image 300 andpixels included in the thumbnail 301 from being mixed in the samemacroblock. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the generation of amacroblock with large compression distortion due to the mixed pixels.The same applies to other thumbnails 302 to 306.

Furthermore, when the image generating unit 111 arranges the backgroundimage 300 and the thumbnails 301 to 306, it is possible to improvequality of compressed menu image by sending the information indicatingthe location and the size of each thumbnail to thecompression-multiplexing unit 105, and optimizing the image compressionalgorithm using the information in the compression-multiplexing unit105.

For example, when the compression-multiplexing unit 105 performs imagecompression using the H.264 compression-coding algorithm, possiblemethods includes the following.

The first method is not to reference the background image 300 and thethumbnails 301 to 306 one another when performing intra pictureprediction. The second method is changing the initial value ofquantization parameter when coding the background image 300 and whencoding inside the thumbnails 301 to 306. The third method is not to usedeblocking filter on the boundary of the background image 300 and thethumbnails 301 to 306 (For these methods, see, “H.264/AVC TEXTBOOK”Impress, Aug. 11, 2004, pages 106 to 113, pages 136 to 138, and pages140 to 144 (Non-Patent Reference 1)).

As described above, the methods described using the thumbnails as anexample are effective not only for the thumbnails 301 to 306, but canalso be applied when arranging the standard images 310 to 313 in FIG. 6to the menu image and performing compression-coding.

Furthermore, since the standard images, especially the arrow 313 andothers are usually represented with a single color or a limited numberof colors and luminance levels, it is possible to reduce the amount ofdata for the standard images by transmitting information indicatinglocation and size of each standard image to the compression-multiplexingunit 105 when the image generating unit 111 arranges the backgroundimage 300 and the standard images 310 to 313, and by coding the standardimages with rougher quantization step compared to the quantization stepused for the background image when the compression-multiplexing unit 105codes the standard image. Thus, it is possible to improve the imagequality as a whole menu screen.

As described above, according to the recording and reproducing apparatus100 of this embodiment, matching the location and the size of macroblockwith the boundary of the macroblock or the orthogonal transform blockprevents pixels of a thumbnail image having no correlation mixed intothe macroblock or the orthogonal transform block including thebackground image outside each thumbnail, reduces the compressiondistortion in the block, and achieves good image quality.

Furthermore, transmitting the information indicating the location and/orthe size of each thumbnail on the menu screen to the image compressionunit, and compressing the image based on the location and/or the sizeinformation of each thumbnail by the image compression unit can reducethe compression distortion in the menu image and achieve good imagequality.

Furthermore, for the standard images created to be multiplexed on themenu image, creating the standard image in the same manner as thelocation and size of the thumbnails, or performing compression on thestandard image in the same manner as the thumbnails can reduce thecompression distortion and obtain good image quality.

Furthermore, coding the standard image using a quantization stepdifferent from the quantization step used for the background image,based on the information indicating location and/or size of each of thestandard images reduces the coded data amount in the standard images,and improves the image quality as the whole menu image.

(Other)

Although finalizing is not necessary for the rewritable recordingmedium, it is possible to set virtual finalizing so that the operabilitywill be the same to the case where a write-once recording medium isused. In this case, it is possible to store a virtual finalized state bysetting a finalizing flag on the rewritable recording medium as theactual finalizing performed after the menu file is recorded andindicating whether the finalizing is performed or not.

Note that the recording and reproducing apparatus according to thepresent invention may include a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a systemLarge Scale Integration (LSI), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read OnlyMemory (ROM), a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), and a network interface.Furthermore, the recording and reproducing apparatus may also include adriving apparatus which can write/read to/from a portable recordingmedium such as a DVD-RAM, Blu-ray™ disc, and a memory card.

Note that a recording and reproducing apparatus may be a built-in systemsuch as a digital video camera, a digital recorder, a digitaltelevision, a game console, an IP phone, and a mobile phone, and others.

Furthermore, a program for controlling the recording and reproducingapparatus (hereinafter referred to as the recording and reproducingprogram) is installed on an HDD or a ROM, and each function of therecording and reproducing apparatus may be implemented by executing therecording and reproducing program.

Note that the recording and reproducing program may be recorded on arecording medium readable by a hardware system such as the computersystem and the built-in system. Furthermore, the recording andreproducing program may be read and executed by other hardware systemvia the recording medium. This achieves each function of the recordingand reproducing apparatus to be implemented on other hardware systems.Here, the computer readable recording media include an optical recordingmedium (CD-ROM, for example), a magnetic recording medium (hard disk,for example), a magneto optical recording medium (Magneto optical disk),and a semiconductor memory (memory card, for example), and others.

Furthermore, the recording and reproduction program may be held in thehardware system connected to a network such as the internet, and thelocal area network. The recording and reproducing program may also bedownloaded in other hardware system via the network and executed. Thisachieves each function of the recording and reproducing apparatus to beimplemented on other hardware systems. Here, the network includes aterrestrial broadcast network, a satellite broadcast network, a PowerLine Communication (PLC), a mobile telephone network, a wiredcommunication network (for example, IEEE 802.3 and others), and awireless communication network (for example, IEEE 802.11 and others).

Furthermore, a recording and reproducing circuit implemented on therecording and reproducing apparatus may achieve each of the function ofthe recording and reproducing apparatus.

Furthermore, the recording and reproducing circuit may be configured ina full custom Large Scale Integration (LSI), a semi-custom LSI such asApplication Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a programmable logicdevice such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), and a ComplexProgrammable Logic Device (CPLD), and a dynamic reconfigurable devicewhose circuit configuration can be dynamically rewritten.

Furthermore, the design data for configuring each of the functions ofthe recording and reproducing apparatus may be a program described in ahardware description language (hereinafter referred as an HDL program).The design data may also be a netlist of a gate level obtained by logicsynthesis of the HDL program. Still further, the design data may also bemacro cell information including the netlist of the gate level addedwith arrangement information and process condition. Furthermore, thedesign data may also be mask data determining the size and the timing.Here, an example of the hardware description language includes Very highspeed integrated circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL),Verilog-HDL, and System C.

The design data may be recorded on a recording medium readable by ahardware system such as the computer system and the built-in system.Furthermore, the design data may be read and executed by other hardwaresystem via the recording medium. Subsequently, the design data read byother hardware systems via the recording medium may be downloaded to theprogrammable logic device via the download cable.

Furthermore, the design data may be held in the hardware systemconnected to the network such as the internet, and the local areanetwork. The design data may also be downloaded in other hardware systemvia the network and executed. Subsequently, the design data obtained byother hardware systems via the network may be downloaded to theprogrammable logic device via the download cable.

Alternatively, the design data may be recorded on a serial ROM so thatthe design data can be transferred to FPGA when applying current.Furthermore, the design data recorded on the serial ROM may bedownloaded directly to FPGA when applying current.

Alternatively, the design data may be generated by a microprocessor whenapplying current, and downloaded to FPGA.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can be used as a recording and reproducingapparatus which records audio and image on a portable recording mediumand reproduces the recorded audio and image. More particularly, thepresent invention can be utilized, for example, as a video camera whichrecords AV data on a recording medium such as a semiconductor memory andan optical disc, and records menu information for displaying a menuscreen as necessary.

1. A recording apparatus which performs compression-coding on an imagein which an image element is arranged on a background image, and recordsdata corresponding to the compression-coded image on a recording medium,said recording apparatus comprising: a menu generating unit configuredto generate menu data indicating the image on which the image element isarranged on the background image such that at least a part of an outerboundary of the image element is consistent with a boundary of one of amacroblock and an orthogonal transform block used for thecompression-coding; an image compression unit configured tocompression-code the menu data generated by said menu generating unit;and a recording unit configured to record the menu datacompression-coded by said image compression unit on the recordingmedium.
 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising: an image selection unit configured to select an imageincluded in image data; and a thumbnail creation unit configured tocreate a thumbnail of the image selected by said image selection unit,wherein said menu generating unit is configured to generate the menudata indicating an image in which the thumbnail is arranged on thebackground image such that at least a part of a straight-line sectionincluded in an outer periphery of the thumbnail created by saidthumbnail creation unit is consistent with the boundary of one of themacroblock and the orthogonal transform block used for thecompression-coding.
 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2,wherein said thumbnail creation unit is configured to create thethumbnail such that a length of each side of the image selected by saidimage selection unit is an integral multiple of a length of each side ofone of the macroblock and the orthogonal transform block used for thecompression coding.
 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 2,wherein said menu generating unit is configured to transmit at least oneof information indicating a location, on the background image, of thethumbnail arranged on the background image and information indicating asize of the thumbnail.
 5. The recording apparatus according to claim 4,wherein said image compression unit is further configured to determinean outer boundary of the thumbnail based on at least one of theinformation indicating the location, on the background image, of thethumbnail transmitted by said menu generating unit and the informationindicating the size of the thumbnail, and not to perform filtering onthe outer boundary of the determined thumbnail.
 6. The recordingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said menu generating unit isconfigured to select, from among a group of standard images held inadvance, a standard image to be arranged on the background image, and togenerate the menu data indicating the image in which the selectedstandard image is arranged on the background image such that at least apart of straight-line section included in the outer boundary of thestandard image is consistent with the boundary of one of the macroblockused for the compression-coding and the orthogonal transform block. 7.The recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said menugenerating unit is configured to generate the standard image such thatat least a length of a part of straight-line section in a horizontaldirection and a vertical direction included in the outer boundary of theselected standard image is an integral multiple of a length of each sideof a block used for the compression coding, and to generate the menudata indicating the image in which the selected standard image isarranged on the background image such that at least a part of thestraight-line section included in the outer boundary of the generatedstandard image is consistent with the boundary of one of the macroblockand the orthogonal transform block used for the compression-coding. 8.The recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said menugenerating unit is configured to transmit information indicating alocation, on the background image, of the standard image arranged on thebackground image and information indicating a size of the standard imageto said image compression unit.
 9. The recording apparatus according toclaim 8, wherein said image compression unit is further configured todetermine an outer boundary of the standard image based on one of theinformation indicating the location, on the background image, of thestandard image transmitted by said menu generating unit and theinformation indicating the size of the standard image, and not toperform filtering on the outer boundary of the determined thumbnail. 10.The recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said imagecompression unit is configured to code the standard image by performinga quantization different from a quantization performed on the backgroundimage, the standard image being indicated by the information indicatingthe location, on the background image, of the standard image arranged onthe background image and the information indicating the size of thestandard image, the standard image being transmitted by said menugenerating unit.
 11. The recording apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said image compression unit is configured to compression-codecontents data including the image data in addition to the menu data, andsaid recording unit is configured to record the contents datacompression-coded by said image compression unit on the recording mediumtogether with the compression coded menu data.
 12. A recording method ofcompression-coding an image in which an image element is arranged on abackground image, and recording data corresponding to thecompression-coded image on a recording medium, said recording methodcomprising: generating menu data indicating the image including theimage element arranged on the background image such that at least a partof an outer boundary of the image element is consistent with a boundaryof one of a macroblock and an orthogonal transform block used for thecompression-coding; generating compression-coded menu data bycompression-coding the menu data generated in said generating; andrecording the compression-coded menu data compression-coded in saidgenerating on the recording medium.
 13. A recording program ofcompression-coding an image in which an image element is arranged on abackground image, and recording data corresponding to thecompression-coded image on a recording medium, said recording programcausing a computer to execute: generating menu data indicating the imageincluding the image element arranged on the background image such thatat least a part of an outer boundary of the image element is consistentwith a boundary of one of a macroblock and an orthogonal transform blockused for the compression-coding; generating compression-coded menu databy compression-coding the menu data generated in said generating; andrecording the compression-coded menu data compression-coded in saidgenerating on the recording medium.
 14. An integrated circuit whichperforms compression-coding on an image in which an image element isarranged on a background image, and records data corresponding to thecompression-coded image on a recording medium, said integrated circuitcomprising: a menu generating unit configured to generate menu dataindicating the image on which the image element is arranged on thebackground image such that at least a part of an outer boundary of theimage element is consistent with a boundary of one of a macroblock andan orthogonal transform block used for the compression-coding; an imagecompression unit configured to compression-code the menu data generatedby said menu generating unit; and a recording unit configured to recordthe menu data compression-coded by said image compression unit on therecording medium.